A Day in the Mortuary
by KSA
Summary: The last of the Brunnen-G is destroyed only to be indoctrinated as a Divine Assassin. This is what became of Kai, Last of the Brunnen-G.


A Day in the Mortuary  
  
I'm known as The Mouse.  
  
I used to have a regular name but now I'm just The Mouse. It suits me pretty well.  
  
I'm young and some say kind of stupid. But I don't listen to them cause I've got dreams. I'm not going to work clean up detail in the mortuary all my life..not me. I'm going places. I'm saving my credits to buy a ship, then I'm getting as far away from this creep show as I can get.  
  
There's some pretty spooky stuff that goes on here. This is where the bioscholars do their experiments. They do stuff to dead bodies, sick stuff. They make monsters here.  
  
I don't like to get too close to the bioscholars. They smell funny. It's weird that they have an odor but the dead ones don't.  
  
See over there?  
  
Bioscholars fussing over one of the drawers. There's always a lot of activity around that one. When they're new, they need a lot of attention from the bioscholars. Sometimes they scream or they struggle..  
  
But not for long.  
  
That one is His Divine Shadow's favorite. He put up quite a fight when he first came around. I thought he might actually make it..for a sec.. but then they put that needle thing in his neck under the chin. It goes all the way up into the brain. He didn't scream though. I would have.. Now he's quiet like the rest... but I don't think the bioscholars are done with him yet.  
  
Sometimes when I'm here by myself..well I'm never really by myself..anyways, sometimes when I'm here by myself I sing. I do it because of the sounds.  
  
The mortuary is a big place. It echoes every little thing and some sounds you don't want to hear... like the dripping.  
  
When the new ones get here, they have to take out all their blood so they can put in the new improved stuff. They put this machine on the floor next to them..  
  
It makes little sucking sounds. It kinda makes me gag. Then the blood just drips into this pan and the bioscholars take it away. I don't know where. I don't want to know.  
  
I once saw one of the bioscholars take away the pan and come back licking his fingers. I didn't eat my dinner that night.  
  
The new one arrived a few weeks ago. I couldn't believe it but His Divine Shadow came to watch them change him. I've never seen His Shadow up close. When he walked by, it was like the air vibrated. It made my head hurt.  
  
I have a little corner I hide in when I want to see what the bioscholars are up to. I really wish I hadn't seen what they were doing to that guy.  
  
I know that the people here..mmm are they still people?..whatever..that the people here are dangerous. Each one a programmed killer who would slit your throat at His Shadow's whim.  
  
I know this to be true because I've seen them when they come back from a mission all covered in blood and gore. The bioscholars flitting around them cleaning away body pieces that don't belong to them.  
  
I suppose I should hate them, but I don't. I fear them but I don't hate them. I can't.. I've heard their screams.  
  
A sound like someone had torn open their soul. Beyond pain, beyond death even. I've never heard such torment from the living..only the dead can suffer the fires of Hell I guess.  
  
Wow, that was deep. See I'm not as stupid as they all think I am. I can't wait till I get my ship!  
  
Oh yea..the new assassin.. So anyway here I am, hiding in my cubby hole staring gaga at His Divine Shadow..and the bioscholars are strapping down the body. The straps are very strong. They have to be..the dead are tough mother fuckers.  
  
So the guy's all splayed out like a piece of meat they're going to fillet and His Shadow tells the bioscholars that the programming has to be fail safe. The dude has this voice..commanding..makes you just want to fall to your knees.  
  
Then he says that he has special plans for this one.. The way he says it makes my skin crawl...right off my back and out the door... These alarms start going off in my head.. Man, oh man, WHAT did this guy do to deserve whatever "special plans" His Shadow had in mind?  
  
So after that little revelation of intent...the Mouse decides to squeak back as far into his hole as possible.  
  
I have no intention of becoming part of the menu.  
  
But being a mouse like I am, I just can't help but be curious. Against my better judgement I poke my little head out to get a better look..  
  
The bioscholars are buzzing around stripping the body and doing various procedures. I try to get a look at his face but his hair is covering most of it.  
  
I think he was probably considered good looking at one time but I doubt anyone would think so now...especially not with a gaping chest wound where his heart should be. Someone really did a number on him.  
  
I try not to gag as one of the bioscholars cuts around the chest wound shaping the jagged edges. Another scoops out some unidentified internal parts. A third places the protoblood pump in his chest and begins making the connections.  
  
I heard that the protoblood works even if they ingest it by mouth but that the bioscholars use the pump for a faster delivery, something about response time. Which I guess is important if you're an assassin.  
  
In the meantime, His Divine Shadow just stands there like a statue watching every move. I'd like to go on record and say that I think the guy is serious bad news.  
  
They also have this device placed at his temples. I think they use it for indoctrination. They mess with their minds too. Most of the dead around here don't even realize they used to be alive. You can't tell them though...well you can.. but they just don't get it. Or they get it and they just don't care.  
  
I've talked to them... Really I have. Sometimes the bioscholars will wake them and then they have to wait for instructions from His Divine Shadow. So you can find one just standing around..polishing his brace.  
  
They don't consider me a threat so I think I'm pretty safe. Still I'm careful when I approach them. And I always take cover when they wake them... waking the dead can be tricky.  
  
So anyway by now, they've got the all new devices implanted and they're getting ready to put in the protoblood. I start to shake.  
  
God I hate this part...  
  
I'm really starting to sweat at this point. The bioscholars have been doing a whole bunch of modifications to this assassin. I'm thinking I don't even want to be on the Cluster when they wake this one for the first time. So I start backing up slowly...  
  
And trip over a nest of tubing.  
  
All heads turn to where I'm sprawled on the floor. I keep thinking..I can't die now! I almost have enough for the down payment on my ship!  
  
I get to my knees and crawl toward His Divine Shadow babbling on about worshiping his divine(ness). God, I think I told him he has divine toes!  
  
The bioscholars look mildly disgusted. One in particular scares me..he looks mildy hungry.  
  
Surprisingly, His Divine Shadow doesn't seem angry. He merely motions to me to stand and come forward. What can I do at this point?...I walk forward and try not to piss myself. His Divine Shadow then turns back to the bioscholars and says "Proceed"  
  
So there I am standing next to His Divine Shadow while the bioscholars get ready to re-animate this dead guy. I am not a happy person at this point.  
  
One of the bioscholars places a tray on the platform next to the assassin. There are devices on the tray that make my eyes water. Things with blades and needles..their purpose quite obvious. It IS possible to torture the dead, if you know how...  
  
And the bioscholars do..  
  
They remind me of insects.. always scurrying around the mortuary. I can smell them from here, a musty, sweet smell. I feel bile rise in my throat but I swallow it down.  
  
They make one last check of the connections..and of the restraints. One of the bioscholars nods his head and looks to His Divine Shadow who raises his hand in affirmation. A withered white hand turns the knob on the protoblood dispenser. It begins its slow, thick trek towards the body on the table.  
  
My mouth is so dry I can't swallow.  
  
The yellowish fluid reaches the man's pale chest and disappears within. His Divine Shadow moves a step closer to the table.. I take a step back.  
  
His left hand, did it move? There it is again. His left hand is twitching. I really want to go home now.  
  
Then his eyes flutter. His body tenses and he gasps, trying to take a breath. I wouldn't call it breathing what they do though...the dead only take in breath when they want to speak.  
  
His eyes open but it's obvious they are unfocused. He still struggles to make his lungs work.  
  
He's not aware of what's happened to him...not yet.  
  
Now the bioscholars are all jumping around like fleas, checking monitors and the guy's vital signs..does he have any?  
  
The newly re-animated assassin starts straining against the straps..he's stopped trying to breathe for the moment and instead is trying to focus his eyes on the room around him.  
  
It's all so ghoulish. All the wires and tubes in his pale flesh. I mean he was dead..he IS dead. I come to the conclusion that there are fates worse than death.  
  
He calms somewhat and closes his eyes tightly then opens them. His brow furrows.  
  
Well, I'm guessing he can see just fine now. I hope I don't get sick.  
  
His head has a strap across the forehead to keep it aligned with the connections at his temples. It makes it hard for him to see anything but the ceiling. A bioscholar leans over him and makes some adjustments to the head set.  
  
He makes a sound.  
  
I think he was trying to speak but since he's not breathing he has to learn to intake some air first.  
  
He pulls against the straps...hard. I can hear the material strain. These dead assassins are strong enough to crush bone. I'm thinking maybe they should use chains from now on..  
  
His eyes are now scanning from side to side taking in his surroundings and the bioscholars that are all around him. He's looking for a way out..  
  
Only there isn't any..  
  
The bioscholars step back as His Divine Shadow approaches and stands next to his newly reborn slave.  
  
This would be about the time all Hell breaks loose...  
  
He didn't notice the dark figure at first. He was still testing the straps..still looking for a way to escape. When he finally saw His Divine Shadow..well..the look on his face..  
  
I saw an assassin once whose programming was offline..it scared the hell outta me. The protoblood pooled in his eyes turning them a bright yellow color. It was like looking into the eyes of a wildcat. A big, deadly, wildcat.  
  
How can I even begin to describe what I saw in his eyes at that moment? They were on fire...utter blinding hatred and a kind of overwhelming despair at the same time. I wouldn't want anyone to look at me like that.  
  
It was the look of death..plain and simple.  
  
Then suddenly it was as if he had been hooked into an electrical current. He thrashed and bucked, his eyes never once leaving His Divine Shadow. He found his breath and roared..a primal sound that made my hair stand on end. I wanted to run but I figured His Divine Shadow would probably just send this guy after me..so I pissed myself instead..but if you tell anyone that, I'll deny it.  
  
The strap holding his right arm made a loud popping sound.. I thought, That's it..we're all going to be torn into itty bitty shreads.  
  
The bioscholars swarmed in on him like angry wasps. He swung his arm around contacting with one bioscholar's head. His neck made a sound like a dry twig being stepped on. That one won't be getting back up..not alive anyway.  
  
He was fast..I gotta say that for him.. but as fast as he can swat the little bugs..they're back up and on him again. So he starts pulling at the strap across his head. If he loosens that one, I'm kissing my ass goodbye.  
  
One of the bioscholars comes around from the top of the table and grasps his head. Another throws a switch.. An arc of energy shoots through his temples. His eyes go wild, before he can recover another bioscholar picks up an instrument from the tray.  
  
It's the one with the ten inch retractable needle..  
  
He puts it against the soft of his neck under the chin and pulls back on the spring loaded trigger. The needle penetrates the neck spraying a small amount of protoblood. It makes a high pitching whining noise as it drives into his brain.  
  
Stillness..the assassin's body goes slack. There is pain on his face but he doesn't utter a single sound. He doesn't really need to..I can see everything in his eyes. I am impressed.  
  
His Divine Shadow moves toward him like the grim reaper. He says, "With this act..the prophecy ends." I can guess what the "special plans" are now. I swallow the enormous lump that has settled in my throat.  
  
His Divine Shadow leans over the now still form and opens the assassin's mouth. A chill like an ice shard shoots down my back. I start to retch so I jam my fist in my mouth and turn away.  
  
There's nothing sexual about "the kiss" but nevertheless it seems a violation of the most basic kind. It is for lack of a better way to describe it, EVIL.  
  
His Divine Shadow brings his lips to just above the assassins. I swear he was smiling as he did it. I could see the dead guy clench and unclench his fists..but it was the only movement he could make...  
  
There was a sound..a low hissing..  
  
I peeked from between my hands which were now covering my face. I really, really wish I weren't such a curious mouse.  
  
What I can only describe as a living cloud of evil emerged from His Divine Shadows mouth and slowly slithered its way past the assassin's unwilling lips. He made a small choking sound as the noxious spore spread within him.  
  
His Divine Shadow stood back and waited. The assassin was making a strangling noise. He was trying to speak. His lips formed a single word.. "NO"  
  
Then his eyes clouded over with darkness..a blackness as empty as the void of space.  
  
His Divine Shadow turned and strode away, satisfied that his new slave belonged to him...forever. The bioscholars busied themselves with finishing the task.  
  
I saw something...something glistening on his face..  
  
Curious, curious mouse..  
  
I took a small step forward and looked into the assassins no longer human eyes..  
  
A single tear rolled down his cheek.  
  
END 


End file.
